By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The first interviews that New England Patriots coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia had with the Giants were closed to the public.
The meeting notes are just for ownership, general manager Dave Gettleman and others in the room.
The second interviews were in front of a national television audience Saturday night when the Patriots routed the Tennessee Titans, 35-14, in the AFC Divisional Round playoffs as both coordinators starred.
The problem for the Giants? Others were taking notes on this performance, too.
Especially the Lions with an eye on Patricia and the Colts with an eye on McDaniels.
Because the Patriots won, neither coordinator can officially accept a head coach position for at least another week. But Patricia and McDaniels could be forced to leak unofficial word to the teams of their choice behind the scenes so that they don't get left out by cold feet executives who go in another direction.
Why are McDaniels and Patricia so in demand?
Both are in their 14th seasons (Patricia's are consecutive while McDaniels was not around 2009-11) in the NFL's most successful franchise, essentially having once-clean minds filled with the ideas of five-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick.
That's an extensive body of work, but here is what they showed in Saturday night auditions:
Michael Dwyer | AP
1. Complementary clock management
With 2:18 remaining in the second quarter, the Patriots had first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.
Quarterback Tom Brady threw 31 passes in the first half, but this was the perfect time for a run.
The surface result seemed insignificant: A four-yard gain by Dion Lewis. In reality, it shaved 18 seconds off the clock as the next play wasn't until after the 2-minute warning.
McDaniels played complementary football —exactly what you want from a head coach —understanding that the Titans were going to get the ball back before the end of the half no matter what, and he could do the Patriots defense a solid by eliminating an extra timeout.
Sure enough, the Patriots scored their touchdown anyway on a third-down pass with 1:52 remaining.
Not having the extra seconds at the end of the half haunted the Titans, who mismanaged the clock on the ensuing possession (See below).
By game's end, Titans fans on social media were calling for McDaniels to replace Titans coach Mike Mularkey, reviving a rumor from last week.
Elsa | Getty Images
2. Prepared for 4th & 1 play
The Titans faced fourth-and-1 just across midfield with 22 seconds remaining in the first half and inexplicably burned their final timeout to discuss punting or keeping the offense on the field. The decision: Go for it.
It seemed like the Titans would have to pass to move the chains and either get out of bounds or quickly spike the ball to stop the clock, but a run was called (out of an obvious run formation that was not a trick).
Patricia's defense did not take the bait.
In fact, the Patriots stacked the interior of the line of scrimmage knowing that Derrick Henry would try to power between the tackles. When that was cut off, Henry tried to bounce the run outside and actually lost five yards to give the Patriots even better starting field position.
Even if the Titans had picked up the first down on the ground, time would've been an enemy. So playing for the run — even defensive backs were cheating up —was a smart bet by Patricia.
Maddie Meyer | Getty Images
3. Tale of 2 shovel passes
The Patriots' first touchdown was scored when Brady took a shotgun snap and fed the ball to James White like he was playing hot potato. Coming in motion, White caught the ball in stride and continued around the edge of the line for a touchdown.
Here is former Pro Bowl quarterback turned CBS analyst Tony Romo's reaction to McDaniels' play call:
"That's why Josh McDaniels is getting courted by these other teams right now. Tom Brady didn't have to do anything. The running back didn't have to do anything for that play to be a touchdown. He is special. For those teams out there, you want to go get this guy if you have the opportunity."
Compare that to the shovel pass on the failed potential game-winning drive by the Falcons in their playoff loss to the Eagles earlier in the day.
Quarterback Matt Ryan tried to force the ball into traffic of big bodies, under-handing the ball so that it lifted in flight and hit the running back in the helmet. It was a much riskier throw than Brady's that required skilled execution, not just a soft touch.
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4. Running back rotation
The Giants haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012 and the committee of Orleans Darkwa, Wayne Gallman, Shane Vereen, Paul Perkins in 2017 (swap Rashad Jennings in for Gallman and you have the 2016 rotation) has left some fans calling for a playmaking back like Saquon Barkely to match Ezekiel Elliott or Leonard Fournette.
But the Patriots haven't had one of the NFL's top backs for the majority of the 16-year run of dominance with the exception of Corey Dillon (2004), LeGarrette Blounte (2016) and Stevan Ridley (2004). Saturday was just another example.
Dion Lewis played first and second downs, White played third downs and scored two touchdowns in the red zone ... and then came Brandon Bolden, who checked in for his first carry on a third-and-1 inside the 5-yard line early in the quarter.
Bolden, the Patriots' biggest back, picked up the first down and then scored a touchdown with an untouched run up the middle thanks to a combination of great blocking and fresh legs. Nine of Bolden's 13 regular-season carries came in Week 17, but there he was in a big moment.
That should inspire Giants fans that McDaniels can get the most out of a crew of no-name backs.
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5. Mr. Creativity
The Patriots' first offensive play was a screen pass to wide receiver Danny Amendola. The Giants rarely got production of the screen pass under fired coach Ben McAdoo.
After going scoreless in the first quarter, McDaniels called for a quicker tempo and the Patriots started gaining chunk yardage. The real highlight in that span was a double-fake handoff that included a fake reverse to wide receiver Brandin Cooks and wound up as a 31-yard catch-and-run screen pass to Lewis.
Yes, having Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski —he lined up at fullback on one reception — helps. Most quarterbacks get two or three plays to choose from in that situation whereas Brady can handle more, according to Romo's analysis. But some of Eli Manning's best moments have been in a hurry-up offense.
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6. Noble against mobile
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota hurt the Chiefs last week with his mobility, rushing for 46 yards on eight carries while also scrambling on the play that resulted in a strange touchdown pass to himself and using his legs to throw a key block on the clinching first down. He was sacked twice.
By comparison, the Patriots recorded a franchise playoff record eight sacks and limited Mariota to an empty 37 yards.
When the Titans lost All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin to a game-ending injury in the first half, the Patriots took advantage of the weakness with pressure off that side.
Among the players with sacks were rookies, undrafted players, unwanted free agents and special teams contributors.
The Patriots only gave up 267 yards of offense before taking away 52 with the sacks.
Steven Senne | AP
7. What 'old' defense?
It's wild to think that the Patriots defense — especially the secondary —was considered old after the season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The No. 1 reason for the turnaround is the week-to-week adaptability of the schemes. The Patriots don't play every opponent the same way, the benefit of Patricia being a film junkie that has rubbed off on his underlings.
There are a lot of ways to describe McAdoo, but stubborn might be No. 1. Especially when it came to his offensive play-calling.
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8. Patricia didn't shave his beard for coaching interviews
What does this have to do with his coaching ability? Nothing.
What does this have to do with his personality? Read into it what you will.
There are those who think that Patricia doesn't look the part of a clean-cut NFL head coach.
There are those who think he doesn't act like it, going back to the T-shirt with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's face wearing a clown nose after the Super Bowl win in 2017.
Patricia not shaving his beard — did he even trim it? —for his interviews with the Giants and Lions could be a sign that he is going to be himself whenever he is in charge.
If you are a fan of the team hiring him, that's a good thing. You don't want him fitting into some preconceived notion when you are hiring him because he has had success doing things his way.
But, with all that facial hair, here's one job Patricia won't be getting: Third base for the clean-shaven Yankees.
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Ryan Dunleavy can be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy.
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